Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39823537›Full record

ArticleAdvanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)2025

Perfluorohexane Sulfonic Acid Disrupts the Immune Microenvironment for Spermatogenesis by Damaging the Structure of the Blood-Testis Barrier in Mice.

Yan Zhang, Mingxue Shu, Shilin Shan, Huiying Liu, Yucheng Zhang, Chenyang Song, Qiaoqiao Xu, Yun Fan, Chuncheng Lu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. MyD88 Signaling in Sertoli Cells Mediates LPS-Induced Orchitis in Mice.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2025
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Frontiers in microbiology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yan ZhangState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Mingxue ShuState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Shilin ShanState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Huiying LiuState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Yucheng ZhangState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Chenyang SongState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Qiaoqiao XuState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Yun FanState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
Chuncheng LuState Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine and Offspring Health, Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3689-9188

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 82071700National Natural Science Foundation of China 82101679 82304094Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province BK20220317Natural Science Foundation of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions of China 22KJB330001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) is extensively used in waterproof coatings and fire-fighting foams, and several studies have found it to be a potential health hazard, but there is still unknown about its effects on spermatogenesis. Our results showed that PFHxS-treated mice have significant reproductive toxicity, including a decrease in sperm count and motility, and the levels of sex hormones (P < 0.05). Concurrently, structural abnormalities are observed in sperm, affecting ≈60-75% of those in the PFHxS-treated group. Additionally, it is found that the structure of the blood-testis barrier (BTB) is damaged after PFHxS treatment, leading to higher expression levels of inflammatory cytokines in the microenvironment for spermatogenesis. Moreover, the expression of proteins associated with mitochondrial biogenesis, including PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), is dysregulated in the testes after PFHxS treatment. Based on metabolome data, the differential metabolite 3-hydroxybutanoic acid is identified in the PFHxS-treated group, which can regulate the histone Kac levels, especially H3K4ac and H3K9ac. In summary, the results of this study suggest that in the testes of PFHxS-treated mice, inflammatory factors disrupt the mitochondrial function and metabolic profiles and hinder the progress of gene transcription through histone Kac, ultimately causing sperm dysfunction.

Indexed as

Blood-Testis BarrierFluorocarbonsSpermatogenesisSulfonic AcidsAnimalsMaleMiceSpermatozoaTestisFluorocarbonsperfluorohexanesulfonic acidSulfonic Acidsblood‐testis barriermitochondriaPFHxSspermtesticular immunoprivileged sites

Identifiers

PMID39823537
PMCPMC11904953

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.